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Facts about Golden Retriever Puppies

How to Modify your Dog's Behavior and Solve Obedience Problems

Are you unsure how to care for Golden Retriever puppies, or just want to learn more about this breed?

Maybe you are thinking about buying a dog and want to know if this is the right breed for you?

No matter what your situation may be, you will find the answers to your questions right here!

Golden Retriever History

The breed, also known as a Yellow Retriever, was developed in the Scottish Highlands from a cross of wavy-coated retrievers, Tweed Water Spaniels (now extinct) and the Irish Setter.

The breed was developed in the late 19th century by Lord Tweedmouth who wanted to create a retriever best suited to the Scottish climate and terrain.

Originally bred as a retriever, it's also used in search and rescue, hunting, as a guide dog for the blind and a therapy dog. And, of course, it's also very popular as a companion dog.

Physical Characteristics of Golden Retriever Puppies

This is a medium to large-size dog. It has a muscular body with a broad head, black or brown nose, brown eyes and drop ears.

The double coat consists of a short and dense undercoat and a thick outer coat. The outer coat can be straight of wavy and comes in various shades of gold.

The coat is shortest at the head and front of the legs. There is some feathering around the neck, at the back of the legs, chest and tail.

	Height	Weight
Male	23 to 24 inches	65 to 75 pounds
Female	21.5 to 22.5 inches	55 to 65 pounds

Temperament

The Golden Retriever is an intelligent, playful, outgoing and even-tempered dog. It's very friendly and gets along well with other pets and children. Its friendliness extends not only to the people it knows but to strangers too.

To make Golden Retrievers feel as a part of the family, include them in your family activities.

They love human company, enjoy pleasing their masters and are easy to train.

When training a Golden Retriever, always use a positive reinforcement method, or your pet will "shut down". For more information on positive reinforcement techniques, visit dog behavior training and obedience training for dogs pages.

These dogs are very athletic and excel at obedience trials and dog agility. They are also excellent swimmers.

Best Owner

This breed will do best with an active owner in a suburban environment.

Some Golden Retriever breeders will interview prospective owners to make sure this is the right breed for them.

Activity and Exercise

The Golden Retriever is a moderately active dog.

Provide him with plenty of exercise, including running off leash in a safe place.

If your yard is not fenced, consider getting an electronic dog fence. There are a lot of systems that are cheap (a lot cheaper than a physical fence), easy to install and will keep your pet well protected.

If you are into jogging or bicycle riding, this is your chance to get some exercise together, but make sure your pet is on leash.

Another activity you may try is playing fetch. This breed loves retrieving things and can get a good workout from it.

At a minimum, take him for one or two long walks every day.

Great gift ideas for Golden Retriever lovers

Large selection of Golden Retriever gifts including shirts, address labels, calendars, socks, jewelry, mousepads, ornaments, mugs and many other dog gifts

Grooming

The breed is an average shedder. Comb and brush regularly with a firm brush. Pay attention to the dense undercoat.

Bathe only when necessary.

Health Concerns

Like all dog breeds, the Golden Retriever is susceptible to complications caused by parasites such as dog ticks, fleas, and puppy worms, including tapeworms, roundworms, and heartworms.

Additional health concerns include hip dysplasia, PRA, cancer, cataracts, skin allergies, heart disease, and excessive weight gain. Do not over feed your pet and provide plenty of exercise to keep the weight in check.

To learn more about dog diseases and health care, visit dog health problems.

To reduce the risk of the above and many other health problems, buy only from reputable Golden Retriever breeders (visit dog breeders to learn how to identify responsible dog breeders).

No matter how small the risk of health problems is, any puppy may get sick or injured. Many health problems will require an immediate attention from your Vet, but there are many others that will not, and you may handle them on your own.

To save time and money, learn how to diagnose and treat dog health problems that don't require your Vet's attention.

Life Expectancy

The average life expectancy for a Golden Retriever puppy is between 10 and 12 years.

Did you ever consider adopting your next pet?

If this is the breed you are interested in, and adoption appeals to you, consider contacting your local Golden Retriever rescue. There are thousands of pets waiting for a loving home and, yes, it's possible to adopt a purebred dog.

Not happy with your pet's behavior? Need help with training your dog for obedience? Then check this Golden Retriever Behavior and Obedience Training Guide.